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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23639731">Smile Like You Mean It</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tv_obsessions/pseuds/tv_obsessions'>tv_obsessions</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, a little delevans as a treat during this Max drought lmao</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:28:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>717</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23639731</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tv_obsessions/pseuds/tv_obsessions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Uh, this is a very quick drabble of ~700 words about Max and Maria spending his 21st birthday together.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Maria DeLuca/Max Evans</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Smile Like You Mean It</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So if you've read my other fic, you know I'm into delvecho, so I am always interested in more delevans and marliz content. Since Max mentioned getting drunk on his 21st birthday, I had the thought of 'Hey! What if Max went to the Wild Pony to get drunk?' which then lead to 'Hey! What if Max and Maria spent some time together during his 21st birthday?' which then lead to 'What if Max and Maria drunkenly made out during his 21st birthday celebration?' And so here we are, 4 months after I originally had that thought. I frantically wrote this out today because apparently we're getting the 21st birthday flashback in tonight's episode, so I wanted my ficlet to be out here before canon gives me a flashback I probably don't care about lmao.</p>
<p>Hopefully when you read you'll understand the fic title, but I literally chose it bc a friend was just sending me song titles cause I was stuck and couldn't figure out what to call this.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It's Max's 21st birthday. Three years since Liz left town without a goodbye. Three years of being consumed by guilt and self-loathing. But it was his 21st birthday which meant he could legally get drunk and no one would bat an eye if he drank excessively, as lots of people tend to get trashed on their 21st and people would probably assume he was just celebrating.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He decides to go to the Wild Pony, figuring that going out in public might be best in case he gets really wasted and figuring it might give him the opportunity to run into some old friends.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>------</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now that Maria's 21, she's been helping her mom with running the bar. She hadn't realized how much work her mom had been putting in and it makes her look up to her mom even more, and Maria takes a lot of pride in continuing that work.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She's busy at the bar when she notices Max in one of the booths with a few guys. Maria's surprised to see him, thinking someone shy and introverted like Max would avoid a bar at any cost. Her curiosity gets the better of her, so as soon as she gets a break from the patrons, she wanders over, planning to quickly greet him and go back to work. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"What's the occasion for you and your friends to be here?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Max seems startled as he turns his attention towards her. "Maria! Hi. It's my birthday. Figured I'd celebrate the typical 21 year old way."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Max Evans, I've known you for a decade, how come I didn't know it was your birthday? I have to join you for a drink!"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Max ducks his head and laughs, "Okay." Maria runs to the bar to grab two drinks and Max moves over in the booth to make some space for her.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She quickly makes her way back and sits next him, smiling as she hands him the drink.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>------</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Maria meant to only stay for a moment, but she's been watching Max. He smiles as he listens to his group talk, but Maria can tell it isn't genuine and senses a sadness as he takes another drink. She decides she's staying with him until she sees him give a real smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Maria keeps making physical contact with him and throws out some jokes. She attempts to pull him into a game of pool, but he's stubborn and Maria relents after her third time begging.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Maria has one last idea. If nothing else, it should provide a laugh for both of them. Maria takes another sip of her drink, before she pulls Max into a kiss. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The intent was something quick and chaste, but they're both a little drunk, and Max returns the kiss with fervor. They're full on making out, tongues pressed together, Max pulling Maria closer, his hands sliding down to her waist. And Maria suddenly has the thought that maybe she wants to do more with Max than just kissing.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She abruptly pulls away at that thought, both of them breathing heavily. Max is staring at her, wide-eyed, and Maria's reeling from the fact that that awkward high school introvert that most people ignored kissed her </span>
  <em>
    <span>like that</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Max is mumbling out an apology as Maria is stammering out an excuse to leave and she goes back to the bar to help her mom with customers. They try to busy themselves with the people around them, but they both find themselves thinking about the kiss and keep unintentionally glancing at each other, occasionally catching the other doing so and hurrying to look away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Max has a couple more drinks and his friends start to leave, but Max stays in the booth, feeling a pull to stay longer and wait for Maria.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The bar starts to empty out as it continues to get later, but Max stays in the booth, waiting. Maria's busy helping her mom close down the bar and doesn't even realize Max is still there until they've finished.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Max is clearly anxious as he stands in front of Maria, wringing his hands and looking at the floor. So she decides to be bold for both of them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Do you want to get out of here?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Max's gaze quickly finds Maria and he smiles, shocked. "Yeah, I'd like that."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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